Just One Dance: A GaLe Fan-Fic
by DreamHost
Summary: [Fairy Tail AU: Regency Era] She was a lady's maid to a duke's heir; he was the newest recruit as guard and escort to the Manse of Fairy Tail. She was proper, caring, and a bit of a spitfire; he was rough around the edges with a hidden soft spot. Through fate, these two people are thrown together at a ball and what was supposed to be just one dance led to something much bigger.
1. Preface and Summary

**From WattPad :**

A/N: I'm so excited about this story! It literally just came to me and I immediately jotted down this first chapter. I've recently been reading a lot of regency romances and I'm in love with the style. What you're about to see is my writing in a whole new style: Third person and fan-fiction. If you have never read any of my fan-fiction, you're in for a real surprise ^-^

So, as a tribute to the anime "Fairy Tail" ending, here is a fan-fiction dedicated to my favorite ship: Gajeel x Levy.

* * *

 **From WattPad :**

Description:

[Fairy Tail AU: Regency Era]

The Manse of Fairy Tail was not a place to be trifled with. Known for the social power it held in the Kingdom of Fiore - linking all the way to the princess regent, Hisui - few dared to cross any of the inhabitants. Because of the status which the members of the Fairy Tail household held, many guards and escorts were hired - something unheard of at that time. Unless you had the money and power that Fairy Tail had, at least.

Miss Levy McGarden was a lady's maid and best friend to Lucy Heartfilia, one of the many ladies residing in the manse. Proper, quiet, and polite to society's eye, Levy represented the elegance and poise of the perfect middle-class lady. However, when left in the confines of her own privacy, she was quite a different person. Lucy could tell you as much.

Recent guard recruit Gajeel Redfox was still learning the correct etiquette of watching over a lady. A little rougher around the edges than most, his appearance certainly warned strangers to stay away. In fact, he frightened the ladies and their maids. All except one, however; Miss McGarden was a special exception. An exception Gajeel found he wanted to know more about.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Fairy Tail characters. All characters belong to Hiro Mashima.**


	2. Chapter 1: Levy

Chapter 1: Levy

Levy McGarden leaned a hip against the bedpost, listening to a muffled voice coming from a large, walk-in closet with an amused smile on her face.

"Another invite! Can you believe it? This is our third one this week; we're becoming quite popular, aren't we?" Lady Lucy Heartfilia of the Heartfilia Konzern was an excitable young woman, prone to reading a little too much into certain things and sometimes not enough in others. Levy laughed a little; _you're the popular one,_ she thought wryly. _Not I_.

It weren't as if Levy were putting herself down – it was just a fact. As Lucy's assigned companion and lady-in-waiting, it was natural for her lady to be the reason for popularity.

"Which dress should I wear tonight?"

Levy pushed herself away from the bedpost and padded over the soft carpet to join her lady inside. "How about this one?" She suggested, reaching up on tiptoe to pull down a dress in a champagne pink color. The bodice was rose-gold, embroidered with delicate gold flowers and dropping into an elegant and flattering empire waist. The skirt fell straight to the ground in sheer, fragile folds. Its length was meant to pool around the ankles, hiding the wearer's legs and feet entirely.

Lucy beamed as she took the gown from Levy. "You know, this is perfect!"

"I'm glad you think so!" Levy smiled back, happily clasping her hands together. It was very rare that she actually acted like a lady's maid; she and Lucy had dispensed of socially accepted etiquette long ago while in the privacy of their rooms. They were such good friends anyway – it didn't make sense to either of them to act like status really mattered.

"I do hope that Sir Dragneel will be one of our escorts for the night."

"Lady Heartfilia!" Levy gasped, feigning astonishment through a giggle.

Lucy smirked back at her companion. "Miss McGarden," she said, her own voice teasing, "there is _nothing_ wrong with finding an escort attractive." The two women looked at one another before bursting into a fit of very unladylike laughter.

Since Lucy had first moved into the Fairy Tail Manse and befriended her maid, she had been eagerly welcomed in by Duchess Mirajane Strauss – the manse's leading socialite, mother figure, and matchmaker. She'd brought the lady and the escort together one night, and well, the rest was history.

Though status could potentially get in Lucy's way eventually, Levy had no doubt in her mind that the headstrong noble would find a way to make everything work out in her favor. Those of the Heartfilia line were quite stubborn and set in their ways, and Lucy was no exception. Because of this, Levy had learned to turn a blind eye to her friend's socially unusual behavior and was gradually learning to accept it.

Shaking her head, Levy took the dress back from Lucy. "I suppose we ought to get you ready then, if you are to look presentable for Sir Dragneel," she said, even as a conspiratorial smile creeped across her lips.

As Levy helped to pull the strings of Lucy's corset, she couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to wear hours of preparations to a party. Even though it was noon-day, she knew it would take that much time just to get her lady ready. Rarely did she ever take time to play dress-up herself, though it wasn't necessary that she do so; she was only a lady's maid, after all.

Despite the nature of her status though, Levy wouldn't trade it for all the jewels and riches that came with being a lady. The farther up you got in society, the more the public had its eye on you. That was not something Levy envied of Lucy, though the blonde didn't seem to mind. She was born for the spotlight – Levy was not. Levy was born for the quiet confines of the library, spending every second of freedom immersed in a novel. It wasn't as if she could avoid it forever, though. The way things worked in manse, she knew it wasn't long until she was there as well.

"You look lovely," she said sincerely as she took a step back to admire her work not half an hour later. The gown fit Lucy to a tee, hugging all the right parts and flowing where it should. It draped and cascaded like an elegant waterfall while also giving her the appearance of a confident young woman. It worked just the way it should, portraying all of her strengths.

"It's all thanks to you," Lucy said, her voice now breathy due to the tightness of her corset. Levy flushed a little at the praise, but graciously accepted it as the two made their way to Lucy's dressing table. Another hour and a half produced a luxurious coiffure of blonde curls atop her lady's head, and yet another hour and a half after that led decorating the coiffure and powdering and rouging of the face and cheeks.

"You're as pretty as a painting," Levy said, beaming as she handed Lucy a pair of large pearl earrings and an accompanying necklace. Lucy smiled at Levy's reflection in the mirror, taking an earring and fastening it in her ear.

"You're getting quite good at this," Lucy commented, taking the other earring. "We still have time to spare." Levy looked outside. By the position of the sun, it was obvious that Lucy was right; they wouldn't be leaving for the dance for another couple of hours.

Lucy laughed at Levy's sheepish expression. "No worries, Miss McGarden," she teased. "This only gives me the opportunity to fulfill a special dream of mine."

"And that would be?" Levy asked, growing suspicious. Whenever her lady got a notion into that pretty head of hers, the results were usually either miraculously successful or a complete disaster.

Lucy beamed brightly and Levy hoped things would land on the miraculously successful side of the scale.

"I'm going to dress you up."

* * *

Levy stared at herself in the full-length mirror, unable to believe that the lady she was looking at was really her. Her usually unruly blue hair had been tamed by Lucy's surprisingly skilled fingers and pulled into a stylishly loose updo – not what the elegant old duchesses would deem completely acceptable, yet it possessed an undeniable beauty all its own. The choice of a vibrant orange-colored dress had left Levy speechless, but everything had tied together perfectly in the end. Yes, this had definitely been one of Lady Heartfilia's miraculously successful ideas.

Lucy clapped her hands together. "You look just how I imagined: Beautiful."

Levy flushed. "I wouldn't say—"

"Come now, you're too modest," Lucy gently scolded, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Give yourself some credit once in a while."

Levy shook her head, turning to look up at her friend. "I can't. What would society say? I'm only a lady's maid – _your_ maid. Please consider the scorn that Fairy Tail will receive for having a lady's maid dressed up in such finery."

"You aren't a lady's maid tonight," Lucy said, a mischievous glint in her eye that sent a trill of trepidation down Levy's spine. "Tonight, you are _Lady_ Levy McGarden."

Levy's jaw dropped in the most unbecoming way possible. "You can't be serious, Luce."

Lucy nodded gravely. "Dead serious."

Levy studied her friend's face. It had been a while since she had seen Lady Heartfilia act so stubbornly. The last time she'd behaved like this was when she had defied Lord Jude Heartifilia's betrothal arrangements. That had been a fight Fairy Tail would long remember. In fact, anyone who was anyone still discussed it in their most closed-off circles.

"As you wish," Levy finally said, sighing resignedly. It wasn't as if it would change how the dance went for her. Lucy would still outshine her, as she rightfully should. She had – no doubt – many suitors looking to claim her hand, but Lucy had declined each and every one of them. She was still waiting for Natsu Dragneel to be promoted from escort and guard to gentleman, the same way Levy was preparing for her promotion from maid to lady. It was an unusual rule Fairy Tail followed, moving one person from status to status according to their works. It was something that set Fairy Tail apart from the rest of society's prestigious names.

A firm knock on the door drew both girls' attentions. Lucy excitedly gave Levy's hand a squeeze, pressing a pair of long ,white silk gloves into her palm. "It's time," the blonde said, laughing eyes smiling down on Levy, who had fallen into a state of sudden panic.

"What if I mess this up?" She asked, her chest rising and falling sporadically as she began looking for ways to back out of attending the ball. "I'm not bred to be a lady. I haven't been prepared for this yet."

"You act better in society than I do," Lucy reassured her, slipping her own gloves on as she glided across to the other side of the room. "You'll do just fine."

Before Levy could even open her mouth to protest, Lucy had reached the door and swung it wide and—

The unexpectedly brilliant sight behind those closed doors caused Levy's breath to hitch unnaturally in her throat as her chocolate brown eyes widened in astonishment. She'd never seen him before, but she knew she wouldn't soon forget him either. He was tall, well-built, with a hardened mask of mystery for a face. _A new status and a new guard_ , Levy thought. _Perhaps the night would turn out fun, yet_.


	3. Chapter 2: Gajeel

Chapter 2: Gajeel

Gajeel didn't even bother pretending that he heard a word of what that loud-mouthed, pink-haired idiot of a partner was saying. The guy rambled, and he didn't care much for rambling.

 _Not. One. Bit_.

"Oi, Gajeel! Have you even heard a word I've said?" The kid was obnoxious.

"Tch."

"Don't ignore me like that! Just because you were a gentleman back at Phantom Lord doesn't mean that you're any better than—"

"Shaddap, Salamander." Gajeel smacked his companion on the back of his head. Natsu stumbled slightly, but easily caught his balance.

He glared at him. "That was rude, Gajeel. I will _not_ allow you to be rude like that in front of Lucy!"

"Like I care about you and your lady," Gajeel shot back, scoffing at the very thought. "You two can get kicked out for improper behavior for all I care."

"Well, at the very least, don't be rude around Levy."

"Levy?" Gajeel raised an eyebrow. "You got another one hiding in your closet or something?"

Natsu looked confused. "No, she's not hiding in my closet or anything. She's Lucy's maid. We've known each other for a while, though. Longer than I've known Lucy, come to think about it."

"Tch."

"Don't blow it off like that!" They had finally made it down the long, expansive hall, reaching Lucy's door which was located at the end of the manse's third floor.

Gajeel watched as Natsu straightened his cape and ran his fingers through his unruly pink hair, holding back a derisive chuckle. It was ridiculous for the kid to try and look presentable for someone he could never attain. Back at Phantom Lord, the strange and utterly preposterous notion of "ranking up" was non-existent. It was just setting up hopes, only to have them beaten down. Only those who were born into nobility ought to be nobility.

Natsu rapped firmly on the door with the back of his knuckles, and Gajeel could hear excited feminine noises coming from the other side of the wood. He was already preparing himself for a giggling goose of a girl, followed by her timid mousey maid. Of course, one glance at his scarred, metal-ridden skin and intimidating demeanor would have them both frozen in their tracks. Gajeel was ready to endure the same fear he had stricken in others since as long as he could remember.

"Good evening, Sir Dragneel." A blonde near the same height as Salamander stood in the doorway. Her hair was piled (in Gajeel's opinion) ridiculously high on top of her head, and she was too painted for his taste. It was such a waste of money to spend so much just to dress a woman up like this. Gajeel watched as Natsu's eyes widened before a grin spread over his face.

"Hey Lu— I mean, good evening Lady Heartfilia." He laughed, taking her outstretched hand and bending over it in an over-the-top manner as the blonde – presumably Natsu's Lucy – giggled. Gajeel simply rolled his eyes and grunted. _Ridiculous_.

"Oh? And who might this be?" He glanced at the lady, only to find that she was unabashedly studying him and not showing the least degree of fear.

"Hm?" Natsu followed her gaze, meeting eyes with Gajeel. "Oh, him? This is Gramps' new escort. Just came in from Phantom Lord, you see. His name's Gajeel Redfox. The guy used to be a lord and everything before— Ouch!" Gajeel reached over and smacked him in the back of his head again.

Lady Heartfilia laughed, the sound much louder than Gajeel ever expected to hear coming from someone of her standing. _Interesting_ , he thought. He'd never seen a girl laugh quite like that – especially not around him.

"Lady Heartfilia!" She stopped laughing and turned around, looking part apologetic but mostly playful.

"What's the matter? I _am_ allowed to laugh, aren't I?"

"Whoa, Levy! Is that you?"

"It's not Levy to you," the lady reprimanded Natsu. "It's _Lady McGarden_."

"Huh?" It was clear that Natsu was confused, though Gajeel couldn't see his face. In fact, he couldn't see anything except the angel standing in front of him.

She was shorter, much shorter, than Lady Heartfilia. Her gloved hands were on her hips, and her chocolate brown eyes reflected her exasperated amusement beneath a few stray locks of blue hair. The way she carried herself – regal, commanding, and quite graceful to boot – made it was obvious that scolding Lady Heartfilia was an everyday occurrence. She hadn't seemed to notice him yet, but maybe he hadn't notice her notice him. Either way, she didn't seem the slightest bit afraid of him either. _Perhaps she hadn't gotten a close enough look_.

"Shall we go?" Lady Heartfilia's voice shattered the moment. "I believe in being fashionably late, but if we wait around too much longer, we'll be impolite." Giggling, she took Natsu's proffered arm, then looked over her shoulder at the woman Gajeel was trying to decide was a "Miss" or a "Lady".

"Sir— What was it, Redfox? Would you be so kind as to do the honors of escorting my friend there?"

Gajeel was taken aback. _He, Lord Gajeel Redfox of Phantom Lord, an escort?_ A week ago, the idea would have been laughable. However, being lowered in ranks after leaving the society-fallen circle of Phantom Lord and becoming a member of the Fairy Tail region, this was his _job_ now. Looking away, he silently held his arm out for the blunette and was very aware of her slender fingers curling around his suitcoat. He was so aware that he visibly stiffened. A small giggle erupted from the person next to him.

"I'm not going to bite." Gajeel glanced down at the girl to see her holding a gloved hand to her mouth, seemingly stifling a laugh as she smiled up at him with her eyes. _Those fathomless brown eyes_ —

He raised an unamused eyebrow and looked away again. "Didn't think you would," he said gruffly.

She fell quiet almost instantly, and he supposed that he had scared her away. It was a nasty habit of his, scaring others away. However, it was troublesome to become too familiar with another person, only to be uprooted and have reality thrown in one's face. It was not part of Gajeel's agenda to form any type of relationship with _anyone_. Rising to the top, no matter the strategy; _that_ was his agenda.

"An escort ought to entertain his lady."

"Hm?" He hated how his eyes found their way to her face when she spoke. "And what would _you_ know about escortin'?"

Lady McGarden – for that's what he had decided to think of her as – appeared quite affronted. "I know plenty."

Gajeel raised an eyebrow again, surprised to find himself suppressing a chuckle. No sign of fear and every sign of fire in her eyes; she was unlike any other lady he had ever met. Not bothering to reply, he simply faced front and proceeded to lead her out of the manse.

Gajeel couldn't help but observe that Natsu and Lady Heartfilia seemed to be having a splendid time, even while the evening was still young. The way they talked like old friends spoke volumes of their relationship and how they viewed propriety. Phantom Lord would have scorned such behavior, or worse, punished those who conducted themselves like such. One did not simply fraternize with those of a lower class, nor did one lower one's standards to those of the lower class. The fact that a lady was speaking so loosely with her escort was beyond Gajeel's understanding. However, hadn't his own lady spoken with him, even daring to order him around?

He paused at that thought. _His own lady?_ To even think such a thing was ridiculous. "Utter nonsense," he mumbled under his breath as he gave Lady McGarden a hand up into the carriage.

"Excuse me?" He looked up. She hadn't climbed all the way in, giving him that affronted look again. _What had he done now?_ He hadn't stepped out of line, had he? Unless…

"Nothing," he said, lowering his gaze once more. He hadn't meant to say anything aloud, and most certainly had _not_ intended for anything he said to alight on her ears. To his relief, she didn't ask any questions; just shrugged and climbed the rest of the way inside the horse-drawn carriage. _More like horse-drawn cage_ , Gajeel thought wryly. He much preferred riding astride a horse, but as an escort, he would be required to accompany his lady inside.

Again with that, "His lady" nonsense. Shaking his head slightly, Gajeel climbed in and took a seat next to Natsu and across from Lady McGarden. As the horses were spurred on and the contraption lurched forward, the scenery outside began to pass in a blur outside the window. Natsu surreptitiously coughed, the slight noise reaching Gajeel's trained senses and drawing his – and only his – attention. The pink-haired fire brain gave him a sheepish smile and shrugged.

"I don't do well traveling by carriage," he said truthfully, keeping his voice low in order to avoid any unwanted attention from the ladies.

Gajeel nodded knowingly. "Feels like you're caged in, right?"

Natsu raised an eyebrow. "Is that how you feel?"

"Doesn't matter how I feel," Gajeel quickly said, narrowing his eyes darkly. "Guess I was wrong, though."

"Yeah." Natsu let out a hollow chuckle, then coughed again. "I just get a little bit…" His face paled slightly and Gajeel fought back a chuckle of his own.

"No explanation needed." Natsu's smile grew grateful and the two men fell silent.

Fidgeting slightly, Gajeel's usually steady and stoic eyes roamed the inside of the carriage. This feeling of confinement; the members of Phantom Lord often teased him about the anxiety he got from being restricted, or being in enclosed spaces. He wasn't made for that type of life. Which was why he had been more than a little wary about joining Fairy Tail's numbers. It required much dedication and commitment. Commitment was not in his vocabulary.

Gajeel's deep, scarlet eyes fell on the slight figure of Lady McGarden. She was leaning on the window frame, looking out of the window at the quickly passing scenery. Her hair, though pulled up, blew softly in the breeze. A thoughtful – almost brooding – expression rested on her face. _Enchanting_ , he thought. He couldn't help it; she was unlike any lady he'd ever met. Though he had to admit, all of the ladies at Fairy Tail were… Unique… To say the least.

Brown eyes met his and Gajeel suddenly realized he'd been caught staring. _Him, caught?_ That was near impossible to do. Lady McGarden's lips were pulling up in a small smile, her eyes softening as her cheeks turned rosy pink. A strange urge to smile back overcame him, and he gruffly nodded politely to her before directing his attention elsewhere. Lady Heartfilia was speaking to Natsu, trying her best to soothe him as he took deep, shuddering breaths.

"We're almost there," she was saying, a slight laugh edging her voice.

Gajeel suppressed a chuckle. A lady comforting an escort – ridiculous. What was even more ridiculous was that they were aspiring to become a match. Gajeel shook his head, his dark hair tickling the back of his neck. That notion was ridiculous; Fairy Tail was ridiculous.


	4. Chapter 3: Levy

Chapter 3: Levy

"So, who's the new guy?" Lady Alberona was leaning heavily against the door frame, twirling her fourth flute of champagne in her hand. Cana had been promoted to Lady Status fairly recently and she had already soiled her reputation. That didn't make Levy love her as a friend any less, though. Cana was one the boldest, most out-spoken ladies Levy had ever known, which was what made her so appealing to the gentlemen. Not that Cana ever let them near her enough to receive a simple introduction. Her bar-maid drinking habits made sure of that.

"The new guy?" Levy asked innocently, tilting her head to the side. Cana gestured to Sir Redfox with her flute, nearly spilling the bubbling contents all over the ballroom floor.

"Him," she said simply, shrugging before taking a long drink. "He's one of us, isn't he?"

"Yes," Levy confirmed, "he's new. According to Na— Sir Dragneel, he recently came over from Phantom Lord."

"Phantom Lord, eh?" Cana raised an eyebrow, peering over the rim of her glass at Levy. "Now that's some interesting gossip."

"Oh?" Levy raised her own brow as well. She wasn't one for spreading rumors, but she also wasn't one to turn down a good gossip either. Cana nodded gravely, motioning for Levy to move in closer before taking a more chaste sip.

"Phantom Lord lost social standing just a little while ago, you see. It's been said that a few members have begun to look for ways to return to society. In fact, I actually ran into a former member back at the manse a few days ago. Her name was…" Cana trailed off, face contorting in deep thought. "Jane? No, it was…" More thinking, another sip. "Jeanie? Juvia?" She nodded. "Yeah, it was Juvia. Blue hair, but darker than yours. Shares a figure with Lucy, but a little quieter. An emotional little thing, really."

Levy nodded absently, half-listening as Cana rambled on about how ladies ought to be more assertive. The rumors seemed about right; she had once overheard Mirajane and her fellow Duchess Erza Scarlet speaking about how the members of Phantom Lord rarely showed up to dances. Lucy had yet be invited to a ball hosted by the princess regent herself, Hisui E. Fiore, so Levy had never before had the privilege of meeting anyone from Phantom Lord. Rumor had it that they only attended the most high-class events. That must explain why she had never seen Sir Redfox before.

"Do you need smelling salts or something?" Cana was poking Levy in the arm, her now-empty champagne glass hanging from her hand at a precarious angle. Levy reached out and took the glass from her, signaling a waiter and setting it down on his tray.

"No, no salts needed," she said, laughing softly. Cana didn't look convinced, but didn't press it. Instead, she took a wine glass from the next waiter passing by and took a long drink, draining half of it in one take. _Forget the bar-maid habits_ , Levy thought wryly. _She's a full-on seaman_.

"Good evening, Lady Alberona; Miss McGarden."

At the sound of a high, gentle melodic voice, Levy turned and smiled brightly as she bobbed in a curtsey. "Lady Agria! It's good to see you."

"You as well." Yukino Agria, a member of the Saber-tooth society, wore a small smile. She looked quite demur and proper, her hands placed delicately at the front of her skirt as she dipped her head in a sign of polite acknowledgement. Cana simply waved a hand and nodded her head towards Yukino, not a care in the world for the rules of etiquette.

"This really is a splendid dance," Levy said, gesturing to the ballroom as Lucy and Natsu waltzed past. "Thank you for inviting Lady Heartfilia. I'm glad to have been able to attend."

"Why, thank _you_ Miss McGarden." Yukino flushed slightly. "However, it was Duchess Orland who orchestrated the whole affair. I merely sent out the invitations."

"Duchess Orland? She's returned, then?"

Yukino nodded. "Yes, she has and in as good as spirits as ever. When she announced that she was leaving Saber-tooth, I must admit, I was quite worried. But she's returned, and the whole manse has celebrated."

"Then, is this not a celebration ball for her return?" Levy asked, looking out over the crowd again.

Yukino nodded thoughtfully, her smile growing on her lips. "Yes, I suppose it is."

"Good evening, Ladies. What seems to be our conversation topic tonight?"

"Lord Eucliffe!" Yukino's eyes widened slightly and her cheeks took on a deeper color as a blonde gentleman wrapped an arm around her waist with a gallant smile.

Levy curtsied again, still smiling brightly. "Good evening yourself, Your Lordship," she said. "We were just speaking of Duchess Orland's return."

"Oh, that? Yeah, we're pretty happy about that!" Though being of the nobility, Sting Eucliffe's speech was comparable to Natsu's – loose, carefree, and friendly. It made it hard for Levy to remember to call him by his title rather than just "Sting".

"I most likely won't get the chance to thank her for the invitation, so please thank her for me," Levy said.

"Of course," Yukino replied, again graciously inclining her head. She and Sting excused themselves to greet other guests, leaving Levy and Cana alone again.

"Isn't that Redfox guy your escort?"

"Hm?" Levy looked up at the brunette, who had another flute of champagne in hand.

"Your escort? As in, dancing with you and stuff? He's acting more like his secondary job of guard." Cana chuckled. "He looks more like one too."

Levy glanced at Sir Redfox, who was brooding against a wall and scanning the crowd with a calculating glare. _He looks more like a rich spoiled brat to me_ , she thought, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. If he didn't seem like he was trying to be so scary, he might actually look like a little kid.

"What are you smiling at?" Levy jumped, forgetting that she was in another's company.

"I-I…" She stuttered, trying to get herself out of the predicament she'd just gotten herself in.

Cana laughed uproariously. "Someone's smitten."

"Smitten?" Levy chuckled a little as well. "Far from it, I'm afraid."

"Oh?" Cana lifted an eyebrow, then smirked. "Then I'm sure you won't mind if I take a stab at it?" Not waiting for a response, Levy watched in stunned amazement as Cana picked up a wine glass and staggered over to join Sir Redfox. The conversation between them was very one-sided, with Cana rambling and Sir Redfox not saying anything while Levy's heart constricted. She didn't understand it; she'd just met this man and now he suddenly consumed her every waking thought.

"I need a drink of my own," she muttered, shaking her head and accepting a flute of champagne from the next passing waiter. A small sip later had her throat tingling from the bubbles and her eyes closed as she savored the taste. What she really needed was to just forget about him. He was only an escort, and he'd be attending many other dances with many other ladies. Besides, he really wasn't her type.

"Miss McGarden?" Her eyes fluttered opened and she smiled.

"Lord Sarusuke, how are you?" Jet Sarusuke had been a friend of hers since she who knew how long, as well as his twin brother Droy. They'd grown up together in the Fairy Tail Manse, having nowhere to go and being admitted by the kind old man known as Duke Makarov Dreyar.

"Very well, thank you. And you?" He swept her hand up in his and planted a gentle kiss to her fingertips.

"Quite well myself." Levy laughed, tactfully removing her hand from his grip. He was always so forward, so desperate, with his affections towards her. Droy wasn't much farther behind, but she wondered how long she could truly hold Jet off before he tried to make a serious move.

Jet seemed to try and hide his disappointment. "That's good to hear…" He trailed off, eyes widening a little and he visibly paled. Levy tilted her head, confused by his strange behavior – Jet wasn't one to shut up unless there was something or _someone_ to make him.

A chill ran down her spine as she surreptitiously turned around, only to be met with a broad chest and the faint smell of metal. Looking up, Levy met cold scarlet eyes and her heart leapt into her throat. _Mavis, he looked so… Intense_.

"Dance with me." That was all Sir Redfox said before he captured her hand in his and dragged her onto the dance floor, leaving Jet behind with his jaw to the ground.

Extremely shocked as well, Levy struggled to pull her hand free of this man's iron-like grasp. "Excuse me?!"

"What?" Her escort shot her a hard look and she unconsciously shrunk back. A flicker of familiarity passed over his eyes, as well as something akin to remorse. Then he shook his head, as if to dismiss a thought that peaked her curiosity.

"That is not the way to ask a lady to dance," Levy said, stomping her foot. The man lifted one of those unusual, metal-studded eyebrows of his before giving sizing her up. Not like a predator would his prey, but as if he were determining her worth. Oh how that thought grated on Levy's nerves; how _dare_ he judge her when he had barely even spoken to her?

To her complete surprise, he loosened his grip and gently held her hand in his. Bowing over her fingertips, Sir Redfox gave her a very strained smile. "May I have this dance?" He asked, his voice a low growl.

Levy hesitated just a moment; he seemed so sincere, but had he learned his lesson yet? Not in her opinion.

"… No." She withdrew her hand, putting both of them on her hips and giving him her best defiant smirk. He should learn he couldn't have what he wanted with an attitude like that. The way he scowled was enough to tell her that he hadn't learned yet.

"Miss—"

"Lady," Levy cut in, raising a stern eyebrow even as she questioned herself about adopting a title she did not own.

Sir Redfox sighed in exasperation. " _Lady_ McGarden," he amended, holding his hand out to her again and looking straight into her eyes. "Would you… Please… Do me the honor of granting me just one dance?"

Well, he wasn't perfect but at least he was trying now. "Yes, Sir Redfox." She demurely placed a gloved hand in his. "You may."

"It's about d-n time," he muttered under his breath, surprising Levy with an expert ballroom posture and unexpected grace that made her forget to correct his foul language and took her breath away as he whisked her away to the music.

The man didn't speak to her; he didn't even look at her. But his dancing made up for it as they waltzed, his hand on her shoulder blade and hers resting on his bicep. And on Mavis' grave, he _did_ have biceps. She could feel his muscles rippling underneath the suitcoat that he wore, straining to be free of their tight confines. He was obviously accustomed to such formal wear, as well as such formal gatherings, though Levy did wonder how he'd managed to be regarded so high up in society with manners as such as he had.

 _Then again_ , she thought with a slight pang of disgust, _if you're rich enough, your manners don't really matter_. If there was one thing she hated about the upper class, it was that conceited assumption that they were entitled. They most certainly were _not_ entitled to anything, especially not where it concerned her.

And Sir Redfox didn't seem to be exempt from this stereotype, as he pulled her closer and Levy felt her cheeks grow warm. They were now scandalously close, their chests barely touching and legs intertwining in sync as their feet moved to the rhythm. His eyes gazed intensely into hers and she could feel the world around them begin to fade. Those eyes; they were so red in a mix of warmth and anger. And the best part? They spoke volumes of the type of person he was. That person both frightened and intrigued Levy. He was like a mystery novel just waiting to be solved.

"Who are you really, Sir Redfox?"

Levy's whispered words were the end of that moment, and the escort quickly took a step back from her as he relaxed his grip on her. The ballroom came hurtling back at hyperspace speed and she found herself tumbling into reality with dizzying speed. She suddenly realized the song was over and that they were now the only couple not dancing to a lively jig.

"None of your business," Sir Redfox said, eyes narrowing and clouding away any of that story she'd read in them just moments before. His lip curled in contempt and he turned away from her. With a parting wave over his shoulder, he muttered, "I suggest ya don't get involved with someone like me."


End file.
